Banchero, Magic win as Hornets struggle from line
CHARLOTTE, N.C. >> Paolo Banchero had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Wendell Carter Jr. added 20 points and 12 rebounds and the Orlando Magic took advantage of Charlotte’s poor foul shooting to beat the Hornets 119-113 Sunday.
The Hornets made just one of nine free throws in the fourth quarter while Orlando was going 13 of 15. Charlotte finished 11 of 23 from the line in its fourth straight loss — Orlando wound up 27 of 30 on foul shots.
Markelle Fultz had 16 points and Frank Wagner chipped in with 14 for the Magic, who improved to 9-19 on the road. Orlando has won three of its last four overall.
The Magic overcame a terrific second half by LaMelo Ball, who had 26 of his 33 points after the break and finished with six 3-pointers. Terry Rozier had 24 points for the Hornets.
Charlotte trailed by five after three quarters, but Ball knocked down back-toback 3s in the first 33 seconds of the fourth period for a 91-90 lead.
CAVALIERS 122, PACERS 103 >> Darius Garland scored 24 points, Isaac Okoro added 20 and the Cleveland Cavaliers made 15 3-pointers Sunday in a 122-103 rout of the Indiana Pacers.
All five starters scored in double figures for the Cavaliers, who shot 52.3% percent from the field, including 15 of 37 (40.5%) from long range, to complement a top-ranked defense that held Indiana to 43.5% shooting.
Jarrett Allen contributed 18 points and 13 rebounds, Evan Mobley had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Donovan Mitchell added 19 points and six assists for the Cavs. Garland — a Gary, Indiana, native — made four 3s and had six assists.
RAPTORS 106, GRIZZLIES 103, >> Pascal Siakam scored 19 points, including a pair of free throws with 9 seconds left, and the Toronto Raptors rallied from a 15-point deficit to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 106-103 on Sunday.
Jaren Jackson Jr. missed a 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left that would have tied the game for the Grizzlies, who played without star Ja Morant because of right wrist soreness.
Toronto won its second straight game and went 4-3 on its season-long sevengame road swing. Memphis has lost three straight and eight of nine.
Chris Boucher scored 17 points and matched his season high with three 3-pointers for the Raptors. Scottie Barnes finished with 16 points, including a pair of key baskets down the stretch.
KNICKS 108, 76ERS 97 >> Julius Randle had 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and the New York Knicks overcame an early 21-point deficit to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 108-97 on Sunday night.
Evan Fournier came off the bench to add 17 points for the Knicks, who were playing a night after an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Joel Embiid had 31 points for the 76ers, going 18 of 19 from the free throw line, and grabbed 14 rebounds.
Philadelphia went ahead by 21 points in the first quarter, but the Knicks cut it to 53-51 at halftime.
TIMBERWOLVES 128, NUGGETS 98 >>
D’Angelo Russell had 18 points and 10 assists, Anthony Edwards scored 20 and Minnesota cruised past Denver, which was missing two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and three other starters on the second night of a backto-back.
Rudy Gobert had 16 points for the Timberwolves, who never trailed and opened a 20-point advantage in the second quarter on the way to a seventh win in 10 games.
Along with Jokic, the Nuggets played without Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Kentavious CaldwellPope because of injuries. Michael Porter Jr., the lone regular starter in the lineup, led Denver with 22 points.
PELICANS 136, KINGS 104 >>
Trey Murphy III made six 3-pointers and scored 30 points as New Orleans overcame the absence of several starters to beat Sacramento.
CJ McCollum scored 24 points for the Pelicans, who shot 57.1% overall and combined to hit 14 of 26 from 3-point range after struggling from deep throughout their recent 10-game losing streak.